scholarly journals Anthropogenic Influence on Long Return Period Daily Temperature Extremes at Regional Scales

2011 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 881-892 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis W. Zwiers ◽  
Xuebin Zhang ◽  
Yang Feng

Abstract Observed 1961–2000 annual extreme temperatures, namely annual maximum daily maximum (TXx) and minimum (TNx) temperatures and annual minimum daily maximum (TXn) and minimum (TNn) temperatures, are compared with those from climate simulations of multiple model ensembles with historical anthropogenic (ANT) forcing and with combined anthropogenic and natural external forcings (ALL) at both global and regional scales using a technique that allows changes in long return period extreme temperatures to be inferred. Generalized extreme value (GEV) distributions are fitted to the observed extreme temperatures using a time-evolving pattern of location parameters obtained from model-simulated extreme temperatures under ANT or ALL forcing. Evaluation of the parameters of the fitted GEV distributions shows that both ANT and ALL influence can be detected in TNx, TNn, TXn, and TXx at the global scale over the land areas for which there are observations, and also regionally over many large land areas, with detection in more regions in TNx. Therefore, it is concluded that the influence of anthropogenic forcing has had a detectable influence on extreme temperatures that have impacts on human society and natural systems at global and regional scales. External influence is estimated to have resulted in large changes in the likelihood of extreme annual maximum and minimum daily temperatures. Globally, waiting times for extreme annual minimum daily minimum and daily maximum temperature events that were expected to recur once every 20 yr in the 1960s are now estimated to exceed 35 and 30 yr, respectively. In contrast, waiting times for circa 1960s 20-yr extremes of annual maximum daily minimum and daily maximum temperatures are estimated to have decreased to fewer than 10 and 15 yr, respectively.

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1171
Author(s):  
Junju Zhou ◽  
Jumei Huang ◽  
Xi Zhao ◽  
Li Lei ◽  
Wei Shi ◽  
...  

The increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events around the world has led to the frequent occurrence of global disasters, which have had serious impacts on the society, economic and ecological environment, especially fragile arid areas. Based on the daily maximum temperature and daily minimum temperature data of four meteorological stations in Shiyang River Basin (SRB) from 1960 to 2015, the spatio-temporal variation characteristics of extreme temperature indices were analyzed by means of univariate linear regression analysis, Mann–Kendall test and correlation analysis. The results showed that the extreme temperatures warming indices and the minimum of daily maximum temperature (TXn) and the minimum of daily minimum temperature (TNn) of cold indices showed an increasing trend from 1960 to 2016, especially since the 1990s, where the growth rate was fast and the response to global warming was sensitive. Except TXn and TNn, other cold indices showed a decreasing trend, especially Diurnal temperature (DTR) range, which decreased rapidly, indicating that the increasing speed of daily min-temperature were greater than of daily max-temperature in SRB. In space, the change tendency rate of the warm index basically showed an obvious altitude gradient effect that decreased with the altitude, which was consistent with Frost day (FD0) and Cool nights (TN10p) in the cold index, while Ice days (ID0) and Cool days (TX10p) are opposite. The mutation of the cold indices occurred earlier than the warm indices, illustrating that the cold indices in SRB were more sensitive to global warming. The change in extreme temperatures that would have a significant impact on the vegetation and glacier permafrost in the basin was the result of the combined function of different atmospheric circulation systems, which included the Arctic polar vortex, Western Pacific subtropical high and Qinghai-tibet Plateau circulation.


1988 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. N. Matthiessen ◽  
M. J. Palmer

AbstractIn studies in Western Australia, temperatures in air and one- and two-litre pads of cattle dung set out weekly and ranging from one to 20 days old were measured hourly for 438 days over all seasons, producing 1437 day x dung-pad observations. Daily maximum temperatures (and hence thermal accumulation) in cattle dung pads could not be accurately predicted using meteorological data alone. An accurate predictor of daily maximum dung temperature, using multiple regression analysis, required measurement of the following factors: maximum air temperature, hours of sunshine, rainfall, a seasonal factor (the day number derived from a linear interpolation of day number from day 0 at the winter solstice to day 182 at the preceding and following summer solstices) and a dung-pad age-specific intercept term, giving an equation that explained a 91·4% of the variation in maximum dung temperature. Daily maximum temperature in two-litre dung pads was 0·6°C cooler than in one-litre pads. Daily minimum dung temperature equalled minimum air temperature, and daily minimum dung temperatures occurred at 05.00 h and maximum temperatures at 14.00 h for one-litre and 14.30 h for two-litre pads. Thus, thermal summation in a dung pad above any threshold temperature can be computed using a skewed sine curve fitted to daily minimum air temperature and the calculated maximum dung temperature.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maida Zahid ◽  
Richard Blender ◽  
Valerio Lucarini ◽  
Maria Caterina Bramati

Abstract. Southern Pakistan (Sindh) is one of the hottest regions in the world and is highly vulnerable to temperature extremes. In order to improve rural and urban planning, information about the recurrence of temperature extremes is required. In this work, return levels of the daily maximum temperature Tmax are estimated, as well as the daily maximum wet-bulb temperature TWmax extremes. The method used is the Peak Over Threshold (POT) and it represents a novelty among the approaches previously used for similar studies in this region. Two main datasets are analyzed: temperatures observed in nine meteorological stations in southern Pakistan from 1980 to 2013, and the ERA Interim data for the nearest corresponding locations. The analysis provides the 2, 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100-year Return Levels (RLs) of temperature extremes. The 90 % quantile is found to be a suitable threshold for all stations. We find that the RLs of the observed Tmax are above 50 °C in northern stations, and above 45 °C in the southern stations. The RLs of the observed TWmax exceed 35 °C in the region, which is considered as a limit of survivability. The RLs estimated from the ERA Interim data are lower by 3 °C to 5 °C than the RLs assessed for the nine meteorological stations. A simple bias correction applied to ERA Interim data improves the RLs remarkably, yet discrepancies are still present. The results have potential implications for the risk assessment of extreme temperatures in Sindh.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuewei Fan ◽  
Qingyun Duan ◽  
Chenwei Shen ◽  
Yi Wu ◽  
Chang Xing

Abstract The Pan-Third Pole (PTP) region, which encompasses the Eurasian highlands and their surroundings, has experienced unprecedented, accelerated warming during the past decades. This study evaluates the performance of historical simulation runs of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) in capturing spatial patterns and temporal variations observed over the PTP region for mean and extreme temperatures. In addition, projected changes in temperatures under four Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) scenarios (SSP1-2.6, SSP2‐4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5‐8.5) are also reported. Four indices were used to characterize changes in temperature extremes: the annual maximum value of daily maximum temperature (TXx), the annual minimum value of daily minimum temperature (TNn), and indices for the percentage of warm days (TX90p) and warm nights (TN90p). Results indicate that most CMIP6 models generally capture the characteristics of the observed mean and extreme temperatures over the PTP region, but there still are slight cold biases in the Tibetan Plateau. Future changes of mean and extreme temperatures demonstrate that a strong increase will occur for the entire PTP region during the twenty-first century under all four SSP scenarios. Between 2015 and 2099, ensemble area-averaged annual mean temperatures are projected to increase by 1.24°C/100 year, 3.28°C/100 year, 5.57°C/100 year, and 7.40°C/100 year for the SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5 scenarios, respectively. For TXx and TNn, the most intense warming is projected in Central Asia. The greatest number of projected TX90p and TN90p will occur in the Tibetan Plateau and Southeast Asia subregions, respectively.


2011 ◽  
Vol 50 (8) ◽  
pp. 1654-1665 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ron F. Hopkinson ◽  
Daniel W. McKenney ◽  
Ewa J. Milewska ◽  
Michael F. Hutchinson ◽  
Pia Papadopol ◽  
...  

AbstractOn 1 July 1961, the climatological day was redefined to end at 0600 UTC at all principal climate stations in Canada. Prior to that, the climatological day at principal stations ended at 1200 UTC for maximum temperature and precipitation and 0000 UTC for minimum temperature and was similar to the climatological day at ordinary stations. Hutchinson et al. reported occasional larger-than-expected residuals at 50 withheld stations when the Australian National University Spline (ANUSPLIN) interpolation scheme was applied to daily data for 1961–2003, and it was suggested that these larger residuals were in part due to the existence of different climatological days. In this study, daily minimum and maximum temperatures at principal stations were estimated using hourly temperatures for the same climatological day as local ordinary climate stations for the period 1953–2007. Daily precipitation was estimated at principal stations using synoptic precipitation data for the climatological day ending at 1200 UTC, which, for much of the country, was close to the time of the morning observation at ordinary climate stations. At withheld principal stations, the climatological-day adjustments led to the virtual elimination of large residuals in maximum and minimum temperature and a marked reduction in precipitation residuals. Across all 50 withheld stations the climatological day adjustments led to significant reductions, by around 12% for daily maximum temperature, 15% for daily minimum temperature, and 22% for precipitation, in the residuals reported by Hutchinson et al.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 1263-1278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maida Zahid ◽  
Richard Blender ◽  
Valerio Lucarini ◽  
Maria Caterina Bramati

Abstract. Southern Pakistan (Sindh) is one of the hottest regions in the world and is highly vulnerable to temperature extremes. In order to improve rural and urban planning, it is useful to gather information about the recurrence of temperature extremes. In this work, return levels of the daily maximum temperature Tmax are estimated, as well as the daily maximum wet-bulb temperature TWmax extremes. We adopt the peaks over threshold (POT) method, which has not yet been used for similar studies in this region. Two main datasets are analyzed: temperatures observed at nine meteorological stations in southern Pakistan from 1980 to 2013, and the ERA-Interim (ECMWF reanalysis) data for the nearest corresponding locations. The analysis provides the 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, and 100-year return levels (RLs) of temperature extremes. The 90 % quantile is found to be a suitable threshold for all stations. We find that the RLs of the observed Tmax are above 50 °C at northern stations and above 45 °C at the southern stations. The RLs of the observed TWmax exceed 35 °C in the region, which is considered as a limit of survivability. The RLs estimated from the ERA-Interim data are lower by 3 to 5 °C than the RLs assessed for the nine meteorological stations. A simple bias correction applied to ERA-Interim data improves the RLs remarkably, yet discrepancies are still present. The results have potential implications for the risk assessment of extreme temperatures in Sindh.


Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1345
Author(s):  
Do-Hyun Kim ◽  
Ho-Jeong Shin ◽  
Il-Ung Chung

We investigated the effect of artificial marine cloud brightening on extreme temperatures over East Asia. We used simulation data from five global climate models which have conducted the GeoMIP G4cdnc experiment. G4cdnc was designed to simulate an increase in the cloud droplet number concentration of the global marine lower clouds by 50% under the greenhouse gas forcing of the RCP4.5 scenario. G4cdnc decreased the net radiative forcing in the top of the atmosphere more over the ocean, alleviating the rise in mean temperature under RCP4.5 forcing. For extreme temperatures, G4cdnc reduced both the monthly minimum of daily minimum temperature (TNn) and monthly maximum of daily maximum temperature (TXx). The response of TNn was higher than that of TXx, especially in the winter, over the Sea of Okhotsk and the interior of the continent. This spatial heterogeneity and seasonality of the response were associated with sea ice–albedo and snow–albedo feedbacks. We also calculated the efficacy of warming mitigation as a measure of the relative effect of geoengineering. The efficacy for TXx was higher than that for TNn, opposite to the absolute effect. After the termination of geoengineering, both TNn and TXx tended to rapidly revert to their trend under the RCP4.5 forcing.


Author(s):  
Xuewei Fan ◽  
Qingyun Duan ◽  
Chenwei Shen ◽  
Yi Wu ◽  
Chang Xing

AbstractThe Pan-Third Pole (PTP) region, which encompasses the Eurasian highlands and their surroundings, has experienced unprecedented, accelerated warming during the past decades. This study evaluates the performance of historical simulation runs of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) in capturing spatial patterns and temporal variations observed over the PTP region for mean and extreme temperatures. In addition, projected changes in temperatures under four Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) scenarios (SSP1‐2.6, SSP2‐4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5‐8.5) are also reported. Four indices were used to characterize changes in temperature extremes: the annual maximum value of daily maximum temperature (TXx), the annual minimum value of daily minimum temperature (TNn), and indices for the percentage of warm days (TX90p) and warm nights (TN90p). Results indicate that most CMIP6 models generally capture the characteristics of the observed mean and extreme temperatures over the PTP region, but there still are slight cold biases in the Tibetan Plateau. Future changes of mean and extreme temperatures demonstrate that a strong increase will occur for the entire PTP region during the twenty-first century under all four SSP scenarios. Between 2015 and 2099, ensemble area-averaged annual mean temperatures are projected to increase by 1.24 °C/100 year, 3.28 °C/100 year, 5.57 °C/100 year, and 7.40 °C/100 year for the SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5 scenarios, respectively. For TXx and TNn, the most intense warming is projected in Central Asia. The greatest number of projected TX90p and TN90p will occur in the Southeast Asia and Tibetan Plateau, respectively.


Geografie ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 113 (4) ◽  
pp. 372-382
Author(s):  
Zbigniew W. Kundzewicz ◽  
Damian Józefczyk

This paper examines temperature-related climate extremes in the unique long-term gapfree record at the Secular Meteorological Station in Potsdam. Increasing tendencies in daily minimum temperature in winter and daily maximum temperature in summer, as well as monthly means of daily minimum temperatures in winter months and of daily maximum temperatures in summer months are illustrated. Also the numbers of hot days and of summer days (with maximum daily temperature exceeding 30 °C and 25 °C, respectively) have been increasing. In agreement with warming of winter minimum temperatures, the numbers of frost days (with minimum daily temperature below 0 °C) and of ice days (with maximum daily temperature below 0 °C) have been decreasing. However, low correlation coefficient and huge scatter illustrate strong natural variability, so that the occurrence of extremes departs from the general underlying tendency.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily J. Wilkins ◽  
Peter D. Howe ◽  
Jordan W. Smith

AbstractDaily weather affects total visitation to parks and protected areas, as well as visitors’ experiences. However, it is unknown if and how visitors change their spatial behavior within a park due to daily weather conditions. We investigated the impact of daily maximum temperature and precipitation on summer visitation patterns within 110 U.S. National Park Service units. We connected 489,061 geotagged Flickr photos to daily weather, as well as visitors’ elevation and distance to amenities (i.e., roads, waterbodies, parking areas, and buildings). We compared visitor behavior on cold, average, and hot days, and on days with precipitation compared to days without precipitation, across fourteen ecoregions within the continental U.S. Our results suggest daily weather impacts where visitors go within parks, and the effect of weather differs substantially by ecoregion. In most ecoregions, visitors stayed closer to infrastructure on rainy days. Temperature also affects visitors’ spatial behavior within parks, but there was not a consistent trend across ecoregions. Importantly, parks in some ecoregions contain more microclimates than others, which may allow visitors to adapt to unfavorable conditions. These findings suggest visitors’ spatial behavior in parks may change in the future due to the increasing frequency of hot summer days.


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